Leeds Utd v Southampton Match Thread

[Cjay]

Saturday 4th May 12:30pm | Elland Road


Leeds have only a glimmer of a chance of automatic promotion when the Saints visit Elland Road on Saturday lunchtime for the season finale! The Whites need to beat Southampton, and for relegated Huddersfield Town to beat Ipswich at Portman Road if they are go get promoted via the automatic route, which is highly unlikely.

Speculation is growing over what kind of line-up both teams go with (Leeds and Southampton). This could very well be the dress rehearsal for the play off final, and both Managers will be keen to gain any kind of advantage over the other in what many expect to be the play off final at Wembley!


Leeds will not risk Dan James until the play off's. The explosive winger is suffering from a costal cartilage injury (a rib injury). Long term injury casualty Pascal Struijk is joined on the sidelines by Jamie Shackleton. Just like James, Patrick Bamford (bruised knee) and Connor Roberts (muscular issue) are unlikely to be risked over what is expected to be a dead rubber. Glen Kamara may come in to midfielder to give Ilia Gruev a rest! There is also talk of Liam Cooper starting his final match for Leeds Utd at the expense of Joe Rodon who continues to take main killing injections for a back injury.

Southampton will be missing Ross Stewart, Stuart Armstrong, Gavin Bazunu and Juan Larios. Adam Armstrong, Che Adams and Flynn Downes could all potentially return having missed the loss to Stoke last weekend at St Mary's.





Cjay’s thoughts…

This could be a meaningless kick about between two teams with huge budgets and star players who bottled automatic promotion. Or it could be Leeds United’s most important game of the season where we just need Ipswich to lose to secure promotion. It seems unlikely Ipswich will Ipswich will fall to hapless Huddersfield, meaning it’s probably a meaningless game.

Talent in abundance on both sides, Summerville vs Armstrong, Rutter vs Adams. And bad form as well. Exactly the same form over the last 7, 2 wins each, 8 points, Southampton with the slight better goal difference but generally crap from both.

Southampton know they have nothing but pride left in the normal season, could we see key players rested? Or will they want to try and build some confidence pre play-offs and go for it. Last time out Southampton completely played us off the pitch, 3 up inside half an hour near enough, we couldn't cope with the three man midfield and they exploited the spaces.

Will we see similar tactics from us? We did the sit back thing we've done recently vs QPR and Boro and others, did the same vs Southampton first time, didn't work, will we change tactics for a home game? A similar setup to the 1st Leicester game perhaps? Aggressive pressing from minute 1?

Will Leeds go for it, hoping Huddersfield will do us a favour or do we rest players ahead of the play-offs. Could we see player changes? Will Joseph get a chance in a yolo? Gray out Kamara in? Does the badly struggling Georgie keep his place?



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[Chilli D]

I'll be amazed if Martin starts Adam Armstrong and Che Adams against us.
It's a nothing game for them, they've secured 4th place so why risk the two players most likely to get them goals in the play offs?
On the other hand, he might say they owe it to their fans to play their strongest available side.
I'm convinced it will be virtually a dead rubber anyway as Ipswich will get at least a draw tomorrow and then trounce an already relegated Huddersfield

[DDB220]

Could be a meaningless kick about between 2 teams who bottled automatic with the huge budgets and star players.

Could be our most important game of the season where we just need to match Ipswich to secure promotion.

The relevance will be decided before we meet.

Talent in abundance on both sides, Summerville vs Armstrong, Rutter vs Adams.

And bad form as well

Exactly the same form over the last 7, 2 wins each, 8 points, Southampton with the slight better goal difference but generally crap from both.

Southampton know they have nothing but pride left in the normal season, could we see key players rested? Or will they want to try and build some confidence pre Playoffs and go for it.

Last time out Southampton completely played us off the pitch, 3 up inside half an hour near enough, we couldn't cope with the 3 man midfield and they exploited the spaces.

Will we see similar tactics from us?

We did the sit back thing we've done recently vs QPR and Boro and others, did the same vs Southampton first time, didn't work, will we change tactics for a home game?

A similar setup to the 1st Leicester game perhaps? Aggressive pressing from minute 1?

Could we see player changes? Will Joseph get a chance in a yolo?

Gray out Kamara in?

Does the badly struggling Georgie keep his place?

The relevance will not be decided before we meet unless Ipswich score a hatful against Coventry and wipe out the GD. They could still lose their last game even if they beat Coventry. I appreciate it is unlikely but stranger things have happened.
Although irony would suggest that if Ipswich were beaten by the Udders we wouldn’t win against Southampton.

Jesus you are giving me cynical vibes.

[Cjay]

The relevance will not be decided before we meet unless Ipswich score a hatful against Coventry and wipe out the GD. They could still lose their last game even if they beat Coventry. I appreciate it is unlikely but stranger things have happened.
Although irony would suggest that if Ipswich were beaten by the Udders we wouldn’t win against Southampton.

Jesus you are giving me cynical vibes.

Alright

It's highly highly highly likely that the Coventry game will dictate the relevance of our Southampton one? Better

[GreennWhite]

I like to think im a little bit of an optimist but even i cant see Ipswich not beating Huddersfield in their last game. The Coventry game is our only hope of them slipping up and i cant see that happening either.

[Jaydog]

Ipswich concede loads and I’d be surprised if Coventry don’t score a few. Mind you will McKenna set up for a draw. Goes against the grain but a point is fine for them.

[DDB220]

I like to think im a little bit of an optimist but even i cant see Ipswich not beating Huddersfield in their last game. The Coventry game is our only hope of them slipping up and i cant see that happening either.

Sorry mate - just underline the optimism in that post

I am pretty much similar in outlook - but there is always a twist at the end with us. I am not suggesting it will end well - as that is normally the twist . But perhaps our fortune will change, it has to at some point.

[DDB220]

Ipswich concede loads and I’d be surprised if Coventry don’t score a few. Mind you will McKenna set up for a draw. Goes against the grain but a point is fine for them.

McKenna will not change his philosophy and neither would I. Playing for a draw is a dangerous strategy unless you are Italian.

[Jaydog]

McKenna will not change his philosophy and neither would I. Playing for a draw is a dangerous strategy unless you are Italian.

Well it should be an entertaining game then assuming Coventry are up for it.

[Tyzy]

The 2 home games against Sunderland and Blackburn have done us,results against those 2 and we would be home and dry.
How frustrating will it be if we miss out by a point !

[White Riot]

Well it should be an entertaining game then assuming Coventry are up for it.

Ipswich went for it at Hull, and Coventry will come out to play as they did against us.

Good teams can punish those that play an open game, as we did against Ipswich home and away.

So the blueprint is there for Coventry.

With Ipswich having a poor defensive rechord it make no sense for them to sit back. We've witnessed lately what happens to teams that can't defend when they sit back

They loose

[White Riot]

The 2 home games against Sunderland and Blackburn have done us,results against those 2 and we would be home and dry.
How frustrating will it be if we miss out by a point !

Only ourselves to blame

[Jaydog]

Ipswich went for it at Hull, and Coventry will come out to play as they did against us.

Good teams can punish those that play an open game, as we did against Ipswich home and away.

So the blueprint is there for Coventry.

With Ipswich having a poor defensive rechord it make no sense for them to sit back. We've witnessed lately what happens to teams that can't defend when they sit back

They loose

I’d say Coventry are well capable of scoring a few.
Ipswich are odds on favs with the bookies.
3-3 is 33/1 if you fancy a repeat of the Hull game.
You put the loose in to annoy me. Didn’t you

[White Riot]

I’d say Coventry are well capable of scoring a few.
Ipswich are odds on favs with the bookies.
3-3 is 33/1 if you fancy a repeat of the Hull game.
You put the loose in to annoy me. Didn’t you

Yeah, I'm luvin these spellin stooff itss grate

[Madron]

Lets hope Cov put out a reasonable team for their fans @ home.

Got these thoughts in my head that Coventry win tomorrow.
Only problem is we scrape home against the Saints and Ipswich score a bagful and pip us on GD.
Surely not.

[malcolmw]

No game is meaningless at this point in the season. I just don't buy that teams just waltz through their final game(s) in a season. Any manager who allows that - regardless of table position - should be scalped.

Even if our last game is played when Ipswich are going to be winning auto promotion, both us and So'ton will want to carry momentum into the play-offs. Especially us - given the woeful disgrace last Friday. We have to re-discover whatever we've left out of the recipe in the last 4 games.
If we can - and play like we were playing before the F***ing international break - we will leave Wembley victorious - I have no doubt.

[The Subhuman]

If Ipswich are promoted

Klaesson
Gray
Firpo
Cresswell
Ampadu
Gruev
Gnonto
Kamara
Joseph
Piroe
Summerville

Rodon for CC, Geo for Piroe if we need a result

[CUSSIE01]

No game is meaningless at this point in the season. I just don't buy that teams just waltz through their final game(s) in a season. Any manager who allows that - regardless of table position - should be scalped.

Even if our last game is played when Ipswich are going to be winning auto promotion, both us and So'ton will want to carry momentum into the play-offs. Especially us - given the woeful disgrace last Friday. We have to re-discover whatever we've left out of the recipe in the last 4 games.
If we can - and play like we were playing before the F***ing international break - we will leave Wembley victorious - I have no doubt.

Automatic promotion achieved on Saturday is the goal but somewhere in the deepest recesses of my twisted mind I’d love us to have another crack at the play offs. I can’t think of a better end to the season than winning the final at Wembley, what a lift that would give us all after a torrid few years.

[Sean_Nile]

What is up with that opening post has someone become a ghost writer for Cjay?

It is nearly a balanced view, expressing both sides of the argument, and only lightly spiced with negativity.

I am somewhat pleasantly dumbfounded and it was not what I anticipated. If I were more cynical, i would have to concude that somebody has hacked his computer to present such agreeable arguments

[Orange Box]

I said it some weeks ago - this is a dress rehearsal for Wembley.